Ink jet card printer

Abstract

An ink jet card printer is disclosed that includes an ink jet printhead and a transport mechanism. The ink jet printhead is adapted to print on portions of a surface of a card that are presented in a print position along a print path. The transport mechanism includes at least one cantilevering mechanism that is positioned to a side of the print position along the print path. The cantilevering mechanism is adapted to unobstructively present the surface of the card to the printhead in the print position.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An ink jet identification card printer for edge-to-edge printing on a surface of a card, the printer comprising: 
       an ink jet printhead adapted to print on portions of the surface of the card that are presented in a print position along a print path; and  
       a transport mechanism including a first cantilevering mechanism positioned on an input side of the print position and including upper and lower guide members that provide at least three points of support of the card at locations that are displaced from each other along the print path, wherein the upper and lower guide members are cantilevered through the print position for printing on the surface thereof with the printhead.  
     
     
       2. The printer of  claim 1 , wherein the transport mechanism includes: 
       a second cantilevering mechanism positioned on an output side of the print position and adapted to support the card in a third position in which a trailing portion of the card is cantilevered through the print position for printing on the surface thereof with the printhead.  
     
     
       3. The printer of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second cantilevering mechanisms cooperate to support the card in a second position in which a middle portion of the surface is moved through the print position. 
     
     
       4. The printer of  claim 2 , wherein the second cantilevering mechanism includes at least one guide member. 
     
     
       5. The printer of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second cantilevering mechanisms includes two upper guide rollers and one lower guide roller. 
     
     
       6. The printer of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second cantilevering mechanisms includes two lower guide rollers and one upper guide roller. 
     
     
       7. The printer of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second cantilevering mechanisms includes a conveyor belt and an upper guide member, wherein the card travels between the upper guide member and the conveyor belt. 
     
     
       8. The printer of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second cantilevering mechanisms includes a pair of grooved guide wheels. 
     
     
       9. The printer of  claim 2 , wherein the card includes side edges, the leading portion of the card includes a leading edge, the trailing portion of the card includes a trailing edge, and the printhead is adapted to print on the surface of the card at least to the side, leading and trailing edges. 
     
     
       10. The printer of  claim 1 , wherein the guide members are selected from a group consisting of a guide roller, a pair of side wheels, a grooved guide roller, a heated roller, and a conveyor belt. 
     
     
       11. The printer of  claim 1 , including an ink over-spray collector positioned adjacent the print position and opposite the printhead and adapted to collect ink that is sprayed beyond the surface of the card. 
     
     
       12. The printer of  claim 11 , wherein the ink over-spray collector includes a trough. 
     
     
       13. The printer of  claim 11 , wherein the ink over-spray collector includes an ink-absorbing material. 
     
     
       14. The printer of  claim 11 , wherein the ink over-spray collector includes a plurality of separable layers of ink-absorbing material. 
     
     
       15. The printer of  claim 11 , wherein the ink over-spray collector includes an electrical charge that is opposite a charge of the ink that does not adhere to the card, whereby ink particulates are attracted to the ink over-spray collector. 
     
     
       16. The printer of  claim 11 , wherein the ink over-spray collector includes a plurality of projections. 
     
     
       17. The printer of  claim 1 , including an input portion having a supply of cards. 
     
     
       18. The printer of  claim 17 , wherein the input portion includes a card cartridge containing the supply of cards. 
     
     
       19. The printer of  claim 17 , wherein the input portion includes a card feeder mechanism adapted to feed at least one card from the supply of cards. 
     
     
       20. The printer of  claim 1 , including a controller adapted to control the transport mechanism and the ink jet printhead to facilitate printing an image on the surface of the card. 
     
     
       21. The printer of  claim 1 , including a card output portion adapted to receive the card from the transport mechanism. 
     
     
       22. The printer of  claim 21 , wherein the card output portion includes a drying device that is adapted to dry ink that is printed on the surface of the card. 
     
     
       23. The printer of  claim 22 , wherein the drying device is selected from a group consisting of a heated roller, an ultraviolet light source, a fan, and a heater. 
     
     
       24. The printer of  claim 21 , wherein the card output portion includes a laminator. 
     
     
       25. The printer of  claim 21 , wherein the card output portion includes an embosser. 
     
     
       26. The printer of  claim 21 , wherein the card output portion includes an encoder. 
     
     
       27. The printer of  claim 21 , wherein the card output portion includes a card flipper. 
     
     
       28. The printer of  claim 27 , wherein the card flipper is adapted to receive a printed card from the transport mechanism, flip a printed card to expose a blank surface for printing, and return the card to the transport mechanism for printing on the blank surface. 
     
     
       29. The printer of  claim 1 , wherein the card includes side edges, the leading portion of the card includes a leading edge, and the printhead is adapted to print on the surface of the card at least to the side and leading edges. 
     
     
       30. An ink jet card printer comprising: 
       an input portion including a supply of cards, each card having a surface defined by a leading edge, a trailing edge, and opposing side edges;  
       an ink jet printhead adapted to print on portions of the surface of at least one card that are presented in a print position;  
       a transport mechanism including a first cantilevering mechanism positioned on an input side of the print position and including upper and lower guide members that provide at least three points of support of the card at locations that are displaced from each other along the print path, wherein the upper and lower guide members are adapted to support the card in a first position in which a leading portion of the card is cantilevered through the print position for printing on the surface thereof with the printhead; and  
       a controller adapted to control the input portion, the transport mechanism, and the ink jet printhead.  
     
     
       31. The printer of  claim 30 , wherein the transport mechanism includes: 
       a second cantilevering mechanism positioned on an output side of the print position and adapted to support the card in a third position in which a trailing portion of the card is cantilevered through the print position for printing on the surface thereof with the printhead.  
     
     
       32. The printer of  claim 31 , wherein the first and second cantilevering mechanisms cooperate to support the card in a second position in which a middle portion of the surface is moved through the print position. 
     
     
       33. The printer of  claim 31 , wherein the second cantilevering mechanism includes at least one guide member. 
     
     
       34. The printer of  claim 33 , wherein the guide members are selected from a group consisting of a guide roller, a pair of side wheels, a grooved guide roller, a heated roller, and a conveyor belt. 
     
     
       35. The printer of  claim 31 , wherein at least one of the first and second cantilevering mechanisms includes two upper guide rollers and one lower guide roller. 
     
     
       36. The printer of  claim 31 , wherein at least one of the first and second cantilevering mechanisms includes two lower guide rollers and one upper guide roller. 
     
     
       37. The printer of  claim 31 , wherein at least one of the first and second cantilevering mechanisms includes a conveyor belt and an upper guide member, wherein the card travels between the upper guide member and the conveyor belt. 
     
     
       38. The printer of  claim 31 , wherein at least one of the first and second cantilevering mechanisms includes a pair of grooved guide wheels. 
     
     
       39. The printer of  claim 30 , including an ink over-spray collector positioned adjacent the print position and opposite the printhead and adapted to collect ink that is sprayed beyond the surface of the card. 
     
     
       40. The printer of  claim 39 , wherein the ink over-spray collector includes a trough. 
     
     
       41. The printer of  claim 39 , wherein the ink over-spray collector includes an ink-absorbing material. 
     
     
       42. The printer of  claim 37 , wherein the ink over-spray collector includes a plurality of separable layers of ink-absorbing material. 
     
     
       43. The printer of  claim 39 , wherein the ink over-spray collector includes an electrical charge that is opposite a charge of the ink that does not adhere to the card, whereby ink particulates are attracted to the ink over-spray collector. 
     
     
       44. The printer of  claim 39 , wherein the ink over-spray collector includes a plurality of projections. 
     
     
       45. The printer of  claim 30 , wherein the input portion includes a card cartridge containing the supply of cards. 
     
     
       46. The printer of  claim 30 , wherein the input portion includes a card feeder mechanism adapted to feed at least one card from the supply of cards. 
     
     
       47. The printer of  claim 30 , including a card output portion adapted to receive the card from the transport mechanism. 
     
     
       48. The printer of  claim 47 , wherein the card output portion includes a drying device that is adapted to dry ink that is printed on the surface of the card. 
     
     
       49. The printer of  claim 48 , wherein the drying device is selected from a group consisting of a heated roller, an ultraviolet light source, a fan, and a heater. 
     
     
       50. The printer of  claim 47 , wherein the card output portion includes a laminator. 
     
     
       51. The printer of  claim 47 , wherein the card output portion includes an embosser. 
     
     
       52. The printer of  claim 47 , wherein the card output portion includes an encoder. 
     
     
       53. The printer of  claim 47 , wherein the card output portion includes a card flipper. 
     
     
       54. The printer of  claim 53 , wherein the card flipper is adapted to receive a printed card from the transport mechanism, flip a printed card to expose a blank surface for printing, and return the card to the transport mechanism for printing on the blank surface. 
     
     
       55. A method for use with an ink jet card printer of providing full edge-to-edge printing on a surface of card, the ink jet printer including an ink jet printhead that is adapted to print on portions the surface that are presented in a print position, the method comprising steps of: 
       cantilevering a leading portion of the card that includes a leading edge through the print position; and  
       printing on the surface of the leading portion of the card while it is cantilevered through the print position.  
     
     
       56. The method of  claim 55 , including a step of collecting ink that does not adhere to the card. 
     
     
       57. The method of  claim 55  including a step of cantilevering a trailing portion of the card that includes a trailing edge through the print position. 
     
     
       58. The method of  claim 57  including printing on the trailing portion of the card as it is cantilevered through the print position. 
     
     
       59. The method of  claim 55  including guiding a middle portion of the card through the print position. 
     
     
       60. The method of  claim 59  including printing on the surface of the middle portion of the card as it is guided through the print position. 
     
     
       61. An ink jet identification card printer comprising: 
       a transport mechanism including a first cantilevering mechanism positioned on an input side of a print position and adapted to support a card in a first position, in which a leading portion of the card is cantilevered through a print position; and  
       a means for printing on portions of a surface of the leading portion of the card as it is cantilevered through the print position.  
     
     
       62. The printer of  claim 61 , wherein the transport mechanism includes a second cantilevering mechanism positioned on an output side of the print position and adapted to support the card in a third position in which a trailing portion of the card is cantilevered through the print position. 
     
     
       63. The printer of  claim 62 , wherein the first and second cantilevering mechanisms each include at least one guide member. 
     
     
       64. The printer of  claim 63 , wherein the guide members are selected from a group consisting of a guide roller, a pair of side wheels, a grooved guide roller, a heated roller, and a conveyor belt.